Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper said he was content to name just four substitutes for today’s 3-1 pre-season friendly win at Bath City.
The Glovers were without defender Jake Wannell, who was missing for “personal reasons“, and midfielder Brett McGavin and striker Tahvon Campbell meaning they had just 15 players in the squad.
Trialist striker Jevani Brown, fellow forward Harvey Greenslade and Under-18s’ defender Ollie Hughes all appeared in the second half at Twerton Park with only goalkeeper Aidan Stone, who was a first-team regular at the end of last season, not being used.
Speaking to the club’s social media after the game, Cooper said: “Jake Wannell has got a personal issue with a family member that is seriously ill, Tahvon Campbell is still not quite right and we are hopeful he will be back training on Monday and Brett McGavin has had a tight Achilles, so we did not risk him, but he will be back on the grass on Monday as well. So we have got three big players to come back in to the group which would have given us seven on the bench, so I am okay with (only having four substitutes).”
Trialist midfielder Luke McCormick impressed with assists for all three of the Yeovil goals, but there was no sign of Teo Kurtaran, the midfielder who has appeared in all the previous friendly matches this summer, suggesting he is no longer in the manager’s plans.
Asked about the trialists, the boss said: “We are still monitoring the trialists and we want to get as much value as we can, but they are certainly not doing themselves any harm with their performances.”
Goals from defender Morgan Williams and midfielders James Daly and Josh Sims put Yeovil in to a 3-0 lead by half-time, but the manager said his side “lost a little bit of professionalism” after the break with Bath pulled a goal back late in the game.
The manager said: “The first half was outstanding, we looked powerful, energetic, really good on the counter attack and defended well, but when you are 3-0 up at half-time it is hard to replicate that again (in the second half) because the opposition half to change. (Bath) changed their shape, they made substitutions and it becomes difficult and we certainly did not replicate what we did in the first half and we got away from doing the things which had got us so much joy in the first half, we lost a little bit of professionalism and it ended up being a bit more of a game in the second half.
“The trialist (Luke McCormick) looked good in the first half and we looked powerful, quick and sharp around their penalty area, I was really pleased with that bit but, as always, there is loads to do. I have just said to the players there will be lots of National League teams which have lost to National League North and South clubs, and I said to them that today was about winning and make a statement with two weeks to go (until the first league game of the season).
“There was really good support here today, really big numbers and at least we gave them three goals to go away with.”
On Friday, the manager called on supporters to “have a bit of patience” with summer recruitment and said he expected to bring in “two or three” permanent additions plus loan signings for the new campaign which gets underway on August 9th.
One player who impressed against Bath was young Birmingham City right-back Byron Pendleton, who joined on a season-long loan during the week. The manager said: “I have been asked why there are so many loan players, but I have been consistent, the loan players are going to give us that depth to our squad. When you bring in loan players like Byron, who looks a really good acquisition for us, it helps us with our budget and he did really well.”
The final match of the announced friendly fixtures takes Cooper’s men to Weston-super-Mare next weekend, but he revealed they will play a behind-closed-doors fixture against an unnamed Championship side on Tuesday night.
He said: “We are playing a behind-closed-doors game at a Championship club on Tuesday which will be a real tough one for us, so we need to get ready and recover for that.“
I’m OK with four on the bench for this game but I do wonder why Aidan Stone has spent so much time on the bench. Is he injured? Does he plan to leave? Is he out of favour with Mark Cooper?
Stone has not been injured for the previous two matches. Draw your own conclusions on the rest…
Sorry Mark enough is enough, time to go. You may not like the club or supporters but we deserve better than you. Go now!!!!
Its pre-season…stop your whinging!
If we are in the bottom 4 in January, maybe have a pop then!
Have a little faith!